The Elite Leadership Course by Garry McCarthy

Author:Garry McCarthy [McCarthy, Garry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, General, Europe, Great Britain, 20th Century, Business & Economics, Leadership, Management
ISBN: 9781526790521
Google: RTwvEAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
Published: 2021-05-26T01:04:47+00:00

Chapter Eight

Dear John

Heavy rains arrived and the snow departed for another year, but the change didn’t benefit the students, or the Staff. The roads at the rear of Old College had flooded, forming giant black mirrors across Chapel Square. The orange glow of countless security lamps bounced off the floor and into the murky grey sky. It was Sunday, 1800hrs, and time for the roll call, the first after the students had returned to normal life since the start of the course. The Sunday evening check was more to gauge people’s mental health than it was to ensure their attendance. Wandering from room to room making small talk with my students, it was a very useful way of offering them an informal opportunity to chat about any problems they had collected over the short break. Haigh was the first to admit to having a disastrous weekend. His lazy tones gave away his feelings while we chatted about the horrendous train journey he had just completed. Eventually, he felt comfortable enough to say he was thinking of voluntary withdrawing. This was half expected and didn’t come as a surprise. Sitting on the end of his bed, I listened to his reasons and found myself agreeing with what he was saying. He had a sound argument for wanting to leave. His state of mind hinged on two things: an ultimatum from his future wife and the promise of an excellent job in Europe.

Making myself comfortable in his room we talked through his predicament. It was understood that he had just had a bad weekend. His fiancée was serious about dumping him if he stayed in the Army, and although he didn’t know it yet, we were going to test his resolve by placing him on a Platoon Commander’s warning. For an age, we spoke about the trials and tribulations of an Army officer and the relationships that are won and lost in the process. I reminisced about the overwhelming feeling of being accepted by soldiers as their commander and the inevitable outcome of distant relationships. In his current emotional state, it was difficult for him to digest the powerful bond soldiers formed with their commanders. Having won the respect of a soldier, you can count on his loyalty for a lifetime. This sort of male bonding is not replicated in any other profession. A soldier will go to extreme lengths to protect the safety or reputation of his boss, taking great pride in the camaraderie induced by good leadership. Ironically, it is not replicated between officers; this undiminished devotion is exclusive to an officer and his soldiers.

The reason why people become professional soldiers is not a difficult conundrum to understand. A simple piece of analysis will identify that those who join the service have many similarities. Regional, domestic and vocational parallels are key components, but it is the development of shared values that transform a civilian into a soldier. These shared values become the glue that binds relationships at all levels, but

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